Pinterest

If you don't know what Pinterest is, you don't want to know. It sucks time away. It inspires a thousand new projects. It makes you want to get chickens just so you have a reason to build a fancy chicken coop. Or maybe that's just me.

I found this there:

From Shades of Light $439

I think it looks like our entry way light.

Yard sale light with spray paint $5

Hmmm. I should have left that center rod brassy. Maybe I could paint it back? I probably won't though.

Then I saw people making something similar to this:

World Market print $129

I was inspired to make something like it:

For the master bathroom.

I gave up on copying it dot for dot. I just sort of made it up as I went along. I painted it onto the back of a piece of paneling from the dining room. There are a million and one uses for that stuff. I'll be sad when we run out. Of course I know where to get more - the kitchen walls.

In other news, I still only have one ruffled pillow case. I hate it. I can't bring myself to make a second one. It has turned into a cat bed. (I took the actual pillow out between cat naps.) I've already started on replacements. They should be done soon. I hope I like them.

I've been told I need to go play in the sandbox. Apparently rest time is over.

Log cabin.

September 3, 2010

September 11, 2010

second batch of yarn - December 28, 2010

Almost there - July 7, 2011


Done! August 12, 2011

When I started this blanket, I had no idea when I would get it done. After I painted the bedroom, I realized I could finish it in under a year. So I knit. I knit late at night until my hands were so cramped they wouldn't move. I knit until my eyes couldn't focus. I knit every spare minute of the day. On Monday night, I ran out of yarn on the last dark green section. Tuesday morning, I was at the yarn shop buying the last three skeins I needed. In total I bought 27 skeins of yarn for this blanket (with a little of each color still left).

I think I'll start another blanket this winter, but it won't be nearly as large.

I guess now I have to finish that second pillow cover. Or nap. Too bad the kids won't let me do that.

One.

Ever spend way too much time making ONE pillow cover and then not want to make the second one?

It's like one mitten or glove or sock. I JUST made the cover. Why do I have to make another? John hates fancy pillows anyway. It wasn't fun. I didn't do a great job, though I doubt anyone would notice. It was a boring job. And took longer than I expected. Now I've got to find enough energy to make a match.

Still need to make a fourth Roman shade too (for the master bath). But I just made three. I really don't want to do that again either.

What I really want to do is knit. I'm working on my log cabin blanket until I can't see straight at night. I'm so close. I have dark green and then off white. Just two sections. Maybe six hours of knitting. I cannot believe I am going to finish this thing!

I got Mary's windows and Ellie's window painted. I'm down to just the ones in the kitchen. Hopefully this week.

The dog, errrr, poor Miss Ellie, sounds like she is sick of being the dog. Better go save her.

2011: year of the blanket

First Ellie's blanket, then Mary's. Now this:

For Sarah.

Hopefully little Sarah will not be seeing this blanket for a while yet. She needs to keep cooking! But this blanket will be ready for her when she arrives.

I'm already back to my log cabin blanket. I have 6.5 sections to go! We're watching season one of Twin Peaks on Netflix streaming, so hopefully I'll get a lot of work done on it. I just don't have the motivation to paint.

Real life happens too.

I was plugging along on my bedroom. Then we heard that our new niece was planning an early arrival! I didn't have a gift. I was planning to make a baby blanket, but thought I had until September. I've knitted and crocheted my little heart out this week. I got almost half way done and hated it. There was nothing to do but start over. So much for winging a baby blanket on a deadline. Now it's done and blocking. Pictures to come when it is dry. I did it in time though, as baby Sarah decided to stay put another week. We're still hoping that she stays put for at least a couple more weeks until she would be considered full term. John's step-dad has also been sick, so I've been cooking and delivering food to them. Hopefully he's on the mend. If not, my stuff can always wait.

I'm down to the details of the bedroom. It seems so slow going. I couldn't get the doorknobs on right. John had to help. He did the hinges too. The bathroom door has always stuck, so he decided (after I'd painted it) to cut off the top. Now I haven to repaint the door. On my short term to do list are: repaint the ceiling (tried to love it, but it's just too dark), make a bedskirt, and make some pillow covers for the bed.

Way before.

During.

Today.

2010.

I made a dash to Ikea Saturday for new lamps!

I shoved most of the junk in the basement.


For Mandy. John's dresser when the room is clean.

Ikea frames with thrifted botanical prints.

As far as rooms go, we are down to the big one. The living room itself isn't that big (but it is so full of junk) but there's no stopping place so both hallways will have to be done then too. I'm waiting at least another two weeks before I hit John up for working on it. (Did you read that, John??? Huh? Did you??)

Mini make over and a WIP

Bed side table.

I bought this table at an antique store in Evansville a long time ago. It just had a glossy coat of polyurethane on it. I stripped that off so I could paint it.

After!

I just realized that picture is blurry. Well it was late at night when I took it.

Still need to get a knob.

I took some dark blue paint we had and mixed it with some yellow. After it dried, I sanded it down. Then I stained the top and the drawer with some dark stain. I wiped stain on over the paint too, so that the wood parts showing through would match the top and drawer.

I'm knitting until I can't see straight at night. I am so close to having my blanket done. When I'm knitting, I pretend the bedroom doors are painting themselves. Ugh. Maybe tomorrow night.

So close!

I just need to go around two more times. I'm at the top (off white) and need to do each color one more time. I'm not sure what kind of border to do yet. Or what color I am going to use.

Now, random stuff.

Woot! they are back! Best 10 bucks I ever spent (seeds).

Liatris.

Some of the coneflowers are as tall as me. The liatris is much taller than I expected. I think they are 4ft high. Maybe taller. They come up to the top of my chest.

Grow, Plummy, Grow!

Yes, our tree has a name. He's grown like mad this year. Too much really. He'll be getting a trim this fall.

Looking up at the sky.

So much to do! I need to get moving. Ellie took a long nap today (first nap in a couple weeks) so "my" evening won't start until about 9:30pm.

The four day weekend.

The next time John gets a four day weekend from work, he is going to say no thank you.

Friday morning, he got up and started making the new trim. He got the doors done, and then went to go get more boards and quarter round. He continued to work. Saturday he got all the baseboards in and the quarter round too. Sunday he cut and installed the new trim for the inside of the bathroom door. Last night he got the blinds hung up for me. I know there's more. Oh, like sanding the doors down to be painted, moving the hole for the new door knobs. Endless hours of watching the kids while I filled holes, primed, painted, caulked and painted more.

This morning.

Last night while I painted, I tried to go over what was left to do. I got overwhelmed. I have one coat of primer on the doors. They need another coat of primer, and probably 3 coats of paint. Then I can put on the new hinges and knobs. THEN I can paint the bathroom. THEN I can make the bedskirt. Like the step stool as a bedside table? The actual table getting a make over. That's what I did in my spare time this weekend. Guess what I didn't do? Sleep.

Last night I went into the bathroom to get a cloth wet. I turned on the light switch and waited a minute wondering why the water wasn't coming out yet. I just couldn't figure it out. Then I remembered the faucet needs to be turned on, not the light switch. Yeah, exhausted.

If I work every night (after the kids are in bed), I can have it done in......maybe another week.

The kitchen is not cleaning itself, and I can't imagine the cats are cooking lunch for us either.